Fifty-five percent of likely California voters believe that “the use of marijuana should be legal,” according to the results of a statewide PPIC poll released yesterday.
The percentage in favor of legalization is the highest level of support ever recorded in the statewide poll.
African Americans (69 percent), Whites (64 percent), Democrats (63 percent), and Independents (57 percent) were most likely to express support for legalizing the plant’s use while Republicans (44 percent), Latinos (42 percent), and Asians (39 percent) were most likely to oppose the policy change.
Among those respondents who acknowledges having tried cannabis, 74 percent supported legalization. Among respondents who had never tried cannabis, 63 percent favored keeping it illegal.
The poll possesses a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percent.
California is one of several states in 2016 where the issue of regulating marijuana is expected to be decided by ballot measure. The issue is also anticipated to be before voters next November in Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, and Nevada.
In 2010, California voters rejected a ballot initiative that sought to permit the personal cultivation and commercial sale of cannabis by a vote of 46.5 percent to 53.5 percent.
If all of these states legalize in 2016 then Marijuana will be legal in 1/5 states.
Ya know, I’m starting to see a definite trend in all these poll results!
At the core of our Federalist System is the notion that Federal Powers are enumerated and limited, and that States have those unlisted powers. That way States can be Laboratories of Democracy. The Feds are the “Gatekeepers”, deciding if and when States can pursue their law. Where in the Constitution did the Feds get the power of Gatekeeper?
The whole thing is proceeding backwards, as if rights once stolen then given back as a revokable privilege solves the original problem of prohibition.
People should regulate government, not government regulating people. That was the cause of the problem in the first place.
If you truly own your own body, as an individual, paying a tax for government permission to do so is a little much on the Stockholm syndrome thing.
Freedom doesn’t and will never come from the same people that will shoot your dog. Peace.
In other news: DEA agents had ‘sex parties’ with prostitutes hired by drug cartels…
Can you believe this crap??? These are the same people that would have someone smoking a joint locked in a cage; sometimes for many years!
I know I am not alone in thinking that our laws regarding drugs needs to change and that it is time to do away with the DEA. That corrupt organization has done incredible harm to this country using billions of tax payer dollars.
I feel like California had their chance in 2012 and they blew it, so now CA should be our lowest priority. There are so many other states with great legalization measures on the table. Let’s focus on those since CA could very well decide to vote against yet another legalization attempt.
[Editor’s note: If California were not already the epicenter of America’s cannabis industry, the largest consumer base for cannabis products and a nation-state unto itself, it would not be on the top of reformer’s target list again in 2016.
However, unlike in 2010, California legalization will not be the only game in town with MA, ME, AZ and NV voters having legalization ballot measures; possibly joined by OH and MI.]
I don’t suppose anything is moving along in the California state legislature. They know it’s coming. Are you telling me that California hasn’t put anything on paper to regulate it like Colorado where the cannabis cash train is $kachinging along nicely? $orry Mexico. Republicans, either finish your border security in order to assure that freakin’ ca$h $tay$ in the U.S. (legally). They had better not be waiting until the voters pass the initiative into law. That just prolongs the misery if they get to stretch things out like that.
If they don’t work hard
For a medical card
Cali might think that they’re free
But a dirty piss test
And unjust arrest
Is a place called misery
Until we realize
We should legalize
Its still called prohibition
So catcha bus or a boat
N Get out and vote
Cuz until then we aint done
I think the strategy the last time in 2010, was to lull them into complacency.”We don’t need legalization,that will interfere with the medical laws that will allow 99 plant per person” bullshit. And then after the mission was completed– and prop 19 was defeated.Record amount of raids happened across the state…as if it was an ‘open invitation’ to take advantage of.
The only good thing of importance during that election, was, the nomination of Kamela Harris- California Attorney General, over LA Prosecutor Steve Cooley, who was well known, for prosecuting and convicting medical marijuana patients.
…the Stockholm syndrome thing. – Bob Constantine
Our Country is experiencing the phenomenon called “Stockholm Syndrome”.
We are captives of a system that threatens us with prison abuse for just about any thing they increasingly claim is “illegal”.
We must choose to “willingly” obey our Ruling Class Masters out of fear or feel their wrath.
Sit, stay, kneel!…bend over and spread ’em?
Isn’t that called terrorism?
Why do you think there are so many violent Jail/Scared Straight/Prison “shows” on the Electronic Heroin Tube?…?… a very similar but technologically remote technique was employed by Slave “owners”…they convinced the humans they purchased, off the “Block”, to use/abuse as Beasts of Burden… that the Big SlaveMaster in the Sky was keeping a close eye on them…even when the Whip Crackin’ Overseer wasn’t in the cotton field.
Apologies to Julian…who is a talented poet!
I noticed on marijuana.com that some legalization states jumped on that lawsuit against Colorado on Colorado’s side.
http://www.marijuana.com/news/2015/03/legalization-states-team-up-to-defend-against-lawsuit
And, I was wondering what was going on in that Judge Mueller marijuana case. I read it was postponed again until April 15 or something. What is she waiting for? She should just clear the way for legalization rather than waiting to say if this latest CARERS federal legislation to get passed or see which way the wind is blowing.
http://edca.typepad.com/eastern_district_of_calif/schweder-marijuana-case/
@ E. Johnson
The electronic heroin tube….priceless.
Judge Mueller done wrote
Her summary note
Before the trial began
But most gotta vote
Out the weed scapegoat
For the Supreme Court to take a stand
Mueller’s stretchin
The time she’s fetchin
For more states to stop the ban
Cuz it could take that long
To get it wrong
When Congress done kicks the can!
The Democrats are pullin
The race card, foolin
The nomination of Loretta Lynch
While Congress is douchin
All scared o prosecution
When Holder deschedules a pinch
Its like all three branches
Of our marijuana ranches
Are lookin for who to blame
Cuz when the shit hits the fan
Its in the fire from the pan
America will never be the same
So pull up a chair
Hemp oil yer hair
Things are fixin to get real good
When light turns to day
Many people run away
And only the brave still stood
When “night” turns to day
Many people run away.
Correction.
And apologies accepted Eric, although I don’t have a clue what for.
@Oracle; Mueller’s response might leak out before April 15th. It’s a big game of Texas Hold’m and the stakes keep rising before one of three branches of our chicken-$#!+ government acts before the other. Either that or Congress is waiting for Colorado’$ tax report. 🙂
At least we have a few brave souls like Judge Mueller, Senator Corey Booker and even Obama deserves much credit… Don ‘t give up on him, he’s amazingly hasn’t given up on Congress to at least attempt to do their job… Poor guy… I feel like telling him you can hope in one hand and $#!+ in the other and see which hand fills up first; just deschedule it already!
I know, the suspense is killing me too, but fortunately there’s some vaporized treatment for that.
@Julian
“If they don’t work hard
For a medical card
Cali might think that they’re free
But a dirty piss test
And unjust arrest
Is a place called misery
Until we realize
We should legalize
Its still called prohibition
So catcha bus or a boat
N Get out and vote
Cuz until then we aint done”
These sound like rap lyrics to me. Dope ones, too!
And apologies accepted Eric, although I don’t have a clue what for. – Julian
I made an attempt at a poem that Norml did not choose to publish.
I am not a poet , but you are!…just don’t criticize Norml or your poems won’t see the light of day…hey, it’s their blog…they can run it like they choose…I can start my own organization?
@ E. Johnson
The electronic heroin tube….priceless.- Bob Constantine
I wish I could claim that clever description, Bob…but it was originally stated by the late ethnobotanist / entheogen researcher Terence McKenna in his classic work ” Food of the Gods”.
@galileo
That ‘s funny you hear rap… Good rhythm and lyrics transcend style, but for the record I was actually thinking of a Hank III song called, “The Grand ol Opry aint so grand anymore.” Country. Rap. Go figure. As long as we keep Kid Rock out of this, my lyrics are always open souce, as well as patent 6630507 should be. 🙂
I also want to go on record that the president descheduling alone, as big a deal as that is, cant fix this evil called prohibition by himself. Another president could reverse his executive decision. Congress could use his decision as more ammunition to block legislation if he acts before the medical bill, despite their trailing polls or the pathetic Republican law suit of Oklahoma and Nebraska against the most popular drug policy on earth in Colorado…( Hey, by the way, good luck with that guys. Sue the marijuana party. Great idea. See you on the campaign trail… Or maybe not…)
The real hesitation from both Congress and the president on descheduling awaits Judge Mueller’s decision, pending April 15th. Senators like mine, Cornyn, rely on federal decisions like a 2001 ruling that actually states marijuana is not medicine. For a federal judge to hear evidence that challenges the scheduling of marijuana is monumental and very exiting to wait for. I hope the reason we havn’t seen a blog from Armentano for a while is because he’s been busy writing summaries for our NORML lawyers Heather Burke and Zenia Gilg. What great lawyers we have at NORML!
I wonder how the government is covering up their witness who admitted medical efficacy of cannabis on a federal stand just to sell some marinol propaganda? What are they going to say? “He took too much marinol. He was in a hallucinogenic state of atrophy and could not have realized he was under oath, much less that he admitted marijuana was medicine.”
Aaaaah… The hubris of the Big Tragic Pharma hero will soon meet his climactic downfall… Just to sell some marinol?!!!
(This just in… %99 of all medical marijuana patients say marinol SUCKS, and is in no way better than herbal marijuana whether smoked or vaporized… Discuss amongst yourselves…)
Great news for a California resident like me – It’s almost certain we’ll have legal cannabis after the next election!
Dankster.com is for anyone who wants to learn more about medical marijuana. Whether you are a patient or just interested in learning more about an increasingly popular medicine and what it can offer, this is the place to go
http://www.dankster.com